


Tangential

by Luzula



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-21
Updated: 2010-04-21
Packaged: 2017-10-09 01:54:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luzula/pseuds/Luzula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why was Mark avoiding him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangential

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://meresy.livejournal.com/profile)[**meresy**](http://meresy.livejournal.com/)'s porn tag. I could probably have made this better, but well, that's the hazard of short deadlines. Not beta read. Teenage confusion and awkward sex ahead. Warning for underage to be on the safe side--in my head, they're about fifteen.
> 
> Thanks to [](http://spuffyduds.livejournal.com/profile)[**spuffyduds**](http://spuffyduds.livejournal.com/) for the title!

"Mark?" Benton said, interrupting Mark's loud conversation with two other boys in their class. He knew it was impolite, but he didn't care any longer. "Can I talk to you after class?"

Mark looked at him, or no, he didn't look at him. He looked past him, eyes sliding away sideways. "What do you want?"

"Just what I said." He looked steadily at Mark and saw him flinch. "To talk with you."

Just then, Mrs. Sheldon called the class to order. Mark turned away, but not before Benton saw his expression of relief. Benton sat down at this own desk, staring at his mathematics lesson. For once, he couldn't seem to solve even the easiest problem.

He and his grandparents had moved back to Inuvik a couple of months ago, after moving around for over a year, and he'd been back in the same class with Mark again. It was...different from before. Benton bit his lip and blushed, then made himself focus on the page. To get the equation for the tangent, you had to differentiate first. Yes. He began to do that, but clenched his fist when he remembered Mark ignoring him and joking with the other boys instead.

"Benton, do you need any help?" Mrs Sheldon said from over his shoulder.

"No, thank you, ma'am."

"Really? Martha convinced me you needed advanced classes, but right now I can't see much evidence of that." Her voice was cool and evaluating, and Benton flushed again, for quite another reason.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't feel quite well." It wasn't a lie, not really.

"Are you coming down with something?"

"No, ma'am, I don't think so."

After class, Benton was determined not to let Mark slip away. Yesterday, Mark had gone out the door with Jim and Roger, heading for the pond to skate. Benton had not been invited.

But today, Mark had detention for throwing chewing gum at Mrs. Sheldon's back on a dare. Benton waited patiently outside the school building, focused on the door as if it was the breathing hole of a seal. It was a sunny spring day, and the melting snow dripped from the roof of the house. Idly, he broke off an icicle and sucked on it, but kept his eyes on the door.

Finally, Mark came out. Benton heard the tail end of Mrs. Sheldon's reproving voice, and then the door closed behind Mark. Mark saw him, and his eyes flicked around the schoolyard.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"Ben, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Benton said, frustrated. "I just want to talk. You didn't mind talking to me before."

"Yeah, but..." Mark circled around, trying to go around Benton, who followed him. "That was then. Don't you get it?"

"No."

"Fine, but not here. Come on." Mark grabbed him by the jacket front and pulled him into the shed where the school kept snow shovels and soccer balls and other odds and ends. It was not a large building, and they had to stand close together to fit in.

"I hope nobody saw us. Do you want everyone to know?" Mark hissed in a loud whisper.

"Know what?" Ben said. He wasn't going to give up until Mark said it.

"Are you stupid, Ben? Know that we...that we...you know." Mark's face turned red, and he mumbled, "After hockey practise. Last weekend."

"How are they going to know?"

"They will if you keep wanting to talk about it!"

"I don't want to talk about it in front of them! Why would I want to tell them about it? I just want you to stop avoiding me." Benton shifted around, wishing the shed wasn't so small, because he was finding it hard to concentrate with Mark so close. Mark shifted, too, with the only result that his knee bumped into Benton's and their jackets brushed.

"I'm not avoiding you!" This was an obvious falsehood, and Benton glared at him. Mark continued, "It's just, we have to be careful. Maybe it's all right for you. You're different, but I...I don't want to..." He trailed off.

"What do you mean, I'm different?"

Mark shrugged. They stared at each other.

"So you don't want to, I mean..." It was Benton's turn to trail off. Mark turned red again.

"Shit, Ben, I don't know. Yes. No." Then he grabbed Benton by the jacket and pulled him in.

It wasn't really a kiss as Benton imagined a kiss (not that he really knew what it was supposed to be like). It was more like mashing their mouths together, but whatever it was, it made Benton flood with heat. He leaned into Mark instinctively.

"Ow!" Mark said, shifting away from the handle of the snow shovel. Instead, he pushed Benton against the other wall. Benton's head was spinning. He'd spent the past couple of days trying to get Mark to even look him in the eye again, and now Mark was pressing close to him, putting his hands everywhere.

"Please, Ben." His breath was hot in Benton's ear, and he took Benton's hand and guided it down. Benton got his hand into Mark's clothing, until he found himself gripping Mark's...erection. Penis. Whatever he called it, it felt moist and almost hot to the touch, and hard. Benton was hard, too. They hadn't done this last time--they hadn't even taken any clothes off, just rubbed up against each other.

Benton squeezed, and Mark made a little breathless noise into his ear. It wasn't like doing it to himself, not at all--the angle was all weird and awkward, and besides, he couldn't feel if he was doing it right. But he moved his hand up and down, and felt the skin slide around, wet and slippery. Benton thought about having Mark's hand on him that way, and pressed closer to Mark, getting Mark's leg between his own. He couldn't seem to stop rubbing himself against it.

Mark was making louder noises now, his eyes closed and his mouth open, and Benton felt a thrill run through him. He was actually in control of this. He squeezed harder, moved his hand faster, and Mark cried out. Benton's hand was getting all wet, and oh, he could actually feel Mark's whole body shuddering against him, that heavy body that he'd tackled so often on the pond.

Mark went still and heavy against him, but Benton didn't want to be still, he wanted to move. Then Mark pressed his hand hard against the front of his pants, and that was that. Benton's whole body flooded with pleasure.

Afterwards, having his hand down Mark's pants was suddenly much more awkward than it had been a few minutes ago. He drew it out and tried to wipe himself off against the wall, which didn't work so well. Mark zipped up his pants, not looking at him.

"Um," Benton said. He certainly didn't feel in control anymore, and his pants were starting to feel uncomfortable. Then again, Mark didn't look as if he knew what to do either.

"See you tomorrow?" Benton swallowed, and tried a small smile. He hoped Mark wouldn't ignore him again.

Mark looked at him. His face was still flushed, and he smiled back, a little. "See you tomorrow, Ben," he mumbled, and then they came out of the shed together.


End file.
